masterman ready-第39章

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　we　could；　for　after　he　had　hailed　we　heard　a　bustle；　and　we　knew　that　the　officer　of　the　watch　was　manning　a　boat　to　send　after　us。　I　had　just　caught　hold　of　the　cable　of　the　West　Indiaman；　and　was　about　to　climb　up　by　it；　for　I　was　a　few　yards　before　Hastings；　when　I　heard　a　loud　shriek；　and；　turning　round；　perceived　a　shark　plunging　down　with　Hastings　in　his　jaws。　I　was　so　frightened；　that　for　a　short　time　I　could　not　move：　at　last　I　recovered　myself；　and　began　to　climb　up　by　the　cable　as　fast　as　I　could。　I　was　just　in　time；　for　another　shark　made　a　rush　at　me；　and　although　I　was　clear　out　of　the　water　more　than　two　feet；　he　sprung　up　and　just　caught　my　shoe　by　the　heel；　which　he　took　down　with　him。　Fear　gave　me　strength；　and　in　a　second　or　two　afterwards　I　was　up　at　the　hawse…holes；　and　the　men　on　board；　who　had　been　looking　over　the　bows；　and　had　witnessed　poor　Hastings'　death；　helped　me　on　board；　and　hurried　me　down　below；　for　the　boat　from　our　ship　was　now　nearly　alongside。　When　the　officer　of　the　boat　came　on　board；　they　told　him　they　had　perceived　us　both　in　the　water；　close　to　their　vessel；　and　that　the　sharks　had　taken　us　down。　As　the　shriek　of　Hastings　was　heard　by　the　people　in　the　boat；　the　officer　believed　that　it　was　the　case；　and　returned　to　the　ship。　I　heard　the　drum　beat　to　quarters　on　board　of　the　man…of…war；　that　they　might　ascertain　who　were　the　two　men　who　had　attempted　to　swim　away；　and　a　few　minutes　afterwards　they　beat　the　retreat；　having　put　down　D。　D。　against　my　name　on　the　books；　as　well　as　against　that　of　poor　Hastings。〃

〃What　does　D。　D。　mean？〃

〃D。　stands　for　discharged　from　the　service；　D。　D。　stands　for　dead；〃　replied　Ready；　〃and　it　was　only　through　the　mercy　of　Providence　that　I　was　not　so。〃

〃It　was　a　miraculous　escape　indeed；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；　indeed；　sir；　I　can　hardly　describe　my　sensations　for　some　hours　afterwards。　I　tried　to　sleep；　but　could　not　…　I　was　in　agony。　The　moment　I　slumbered；　I　thought　the　shark　had　hold　of　me；　and　I　would　start　up　and　shriek；　and　then　I　said　my　prayers　and　tried　to　go　to　sleep　again；　but　it　was　of　no　use。　The　captain　of　the　West　Indiaman　was　afraid　that　my　shrieks　would　be　heard；　and　he　sent　me　down　a　tumbler　of　rum　to　drink　off；　this　composed　me；　and　at　last　I　fell　into　a　sound　sleep。　When　I　awoke；　I　found　that　the　ship　was　under　weigh　and　with　all　canvas　set；　surrounded　by　more　than　a　hundred　other　vessels；　the　men…of…war　who　took　charge　of　the　convoy；　firing　guns　and　making　signals　incessantly。　It　was　a　glorious　sight；　and　we　were　bound　for　Old　England。　I　felt　so　happy；　that　I　thought　I　would　risk　the　jaws　of　another　shark　to　have　regained　my　liberty；　and　the　chance　of　being　once　more　on　shore　in　my　own　country；　and　able　to　go　to　Newcastle　and　see　my　poor　mother。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　your　miraculous　escape　did　you　very　little　good；　Ready；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃if　you　got　over　it　so　soon。〃

〃Indeed；　madam；　it　was　not　so；　that　was　only　the　feeling　which　the　first　sight　of　the　vessels　under　weigh　for　England　produced　upon　me。　I　can　honestly　say　that　I　was　a　better　and　more　serious　person。　The　very　next　night；　when　I　was　in　my　hammock；　I　prayed　very　fervently；　and　there　happened　to　be　a　very　good　old　Scotchman　on　board；　the　second　mate；　who　talked　very　seriously　to　me；　and　pointed　out　how　wonderful　had　been　my　preservation；　and　I　felt　it。　It　was　he　who　first　read　the　Bible　with　me；　and　made　me　understand　it；　and；　I　may　say；　become　fond　of　it。　I　did　my　duty　on　our　passage　home　as　a　seaman　before　the　mast；　and　the　captain　was　pleased　with　me。　The　ship　I　was　in　was　bound　to　Glasgow；　and　we　parted　company　with　the　convoy　at　North　Foreland；　and　arrived　safe　in　port。　The　captain　took　me　to　the　owners；　who　paid　me　fifteen　guineas　for　my　services　during　the　voyage　home；　and　as　soon　as　I　received　the　money；　I　set　off　for　Newcastle　as　fast　as　I　could。　I　had　taken　a　place　on　the　outside　of　the　coach；　and　I　entered　into　conversation　with　a　gentleman　who　sat　next　to　me。　I　soon　found　out　that　he　belonged　to　Newcastle；　and　I　first　inquired　if　Mr。　Masterman；　the　ship…builder；　was　still　alive。　He　told　me　that　he　had　been　dead　about　three　months。　‘And　to　whom　did　he　leave　his　money？'　I　asked；　‘for　he　was　very　rich；　and　had　no　kin。'　‘He　had　no　relations；'　replied　the　gentleman；　‘and　he　left　all　his　money　to　build　an　hospital　and　almshouses。　He　had　a　partner　in　his　business　latterly；　and　he　left　the　yard　and　all　the　stores　to　him；　I　believe；　because　he　did　not　know　whom　to　leave　it　to。　There　was　a　lad　whom　I　knew　for　certain　he　intended　to　have　adopted　and　to　have　made　his　heir　…　a　lad　of　the　name　of　Ready；　but　he　ran　away　to　sea；　and　has　never　been　heard　of　since。　It　is　supposed　that　he　was　lost　in　a　prize；　for　he　was　traced　so　far。　Foolish　boy　that　he　was。　He　might　now　have　been　a　man　of　fortune。'

〃‘Very　foolish　indeed；'　replied　I。

〃‘Yes；　but　he　has　harmed　more　than　himself。　His　poor　mother；　who　doted　upon　him；　as　soon　as　she　heard　that　he　was　lost；　pined　away　by　degrees；　and'

〃‘You　don't　mean　to　say　that　she　is　dead？'　interrupted　I；　seizing　the　gentleman　by　the　arm。

〃‘Yes；'　replied　he；　looking　at　me　with　surprise；　‘she　died　last　year　of　a　broken　heart。'

〃I　fell　back　on　the　luggage　behind　me；　and　should　have　fallen　off　the　coach　if　the　gentleman　had　not　held　me。　He　called　to　the　coachman　to　pull　up　the　horses；　and　they　took　me　down；　and　put　me　inside；　and　as　the　coach　rolled　on；　I　cried　as　if　my　heart　would　break。〃

Ready　appeared　so　much　affected；　that　Mr。　Seagrave　proposed　that　he　should　leave　off　his　history　for　the　present。

〃Thank　you；　sir；　it　will　be　better；　for　I　feel　my　old　eyes　dim　with　tears；　even　now。　It's　a　dreadful　thing　in　after…life　to　reflect　upon；　that　your　foolish　conduct　has　hastened　the　death　of　a　most　kind　mother；　but　so　it　was；　William；　and　I　give　you　the　truth　for　your　advantage。〃



Chapter　XL

A　few　mornings　afterwards；　Juno　came　in　before　breakfast　with　six　eggs　in　her　apron；　which　she　had　found　in　the　hen…house。

〃Look；　Missy　Seagrave　…　fowls　lay　eggs　…　soon　have　plenty　…　plenty　for　Master　William　…　make　him　well　again　…　and　plenty　for　chickens　by　and　by。〃

〃You　haven't　taken　them　all　out　of　the　nests；　Juno；　have　you？〃

〃No；　leave　one　in　each　nest　for　hen　to　see。〃

〃‘Well；　then；　we　will　keep　them　for　William；　and　I　hope；　as　you　say；　they　will　make　him　strong　again。〃

〃I　am　getting　quite　strong　now；　mother；〃　replied　William；　〃I　think　it　would　be　better　to　leave　the　eggs　for　the　hens　to　sit　upon。〃

〃No；　no；　William；　your　health　is　of　more　consequence　than　having　early　chickens。〃

For　a　few　days　Mr。　Seagrave　and　Ready　were　employed　at　the　garden　clearing　away　the　weeds；　which　had　begun　to　sprout　up　along　with　the　seeds　which　had　been　sown；　during　which　time　William　recovered　very　fast。　The　two　first　days；　Juno　brought　in　three　or　four　eggs　regularly；　but　on　the　third　day　there　were　none　to　be　found。　On　the　fourth　day　the　hens　appeared　also　not　to　have　laid；　much　to　the　surprise　of　Mrs。　Seagrave；　as　when　hens　commence　laying　eggs　they　usually　continue。　On　the　fifth　morning；　when　they　sat　down　to　breakfast；　Master　Tommy　did　not　make　his　appearance；　and　Mrs。　Seagrave　asked　where　he　was。

〃I　suspect；　madam；〃　said　Old　Ready；　laughing；　〃that　Tommy　will　not　come　either　to　his　breakfast　or　his　dinner　to…day。〃

〃What　can　you　mean；　Ready？〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Why；　madam；　I　will　tell　you。　I　thought　it　very　odd　that　there　were　no　eggs；　and　I　thought　it　probable　that　the　hens　might　have　laid　astray；　so　I　went　about　yesterday　evening　to　search。　I　could　not　find　any　eggs；　but　I　found　the　egg…shells；　hid　under　some　cocoa…nut　leaves；　and　I　argued；　that　if　an　animal；　supposing　there　was　any　on　the　island；　had　taken　the　eggs；　it　would　not　have　been　so　careful　to　hide　the　egg…shells。　So；　this　morning；　I　fastened　up　the　door　of　the　hen…house；　and　only　left　open　the　little　sliding　door；　by　which　the　fowls　go　in　to　roost；　and　then；　after　you　were　up；　I　watched　behind　the　trees；　and　saw　Tommy　come　out；　and　go　to　the　hen…house。　He　tried　the　door；　and　finding　it　fast；　crept　into　the　hen…house　by　the　little　sliding…door。　As　soon　as　he　was　in　I　let　down　the　slide；　and　fastened　it　with　a　nail；　so　there　he　is；　caught